Wedding Planning Checklist for Indian Couples: Step-by-Step Workflow

A clear timeline and wedding planning checklist help couples stay organized and save them from last-minute stress. 

And if you ever feel the process is getting too heavy, you can hand things over to a professional wedding planner. We explained this clearly in our earlier guide, “How to choose the right planner.”

Let’s get into the practical steps.

Wedding Planning Checklist: Step-by-Step Timeline

6–12 Months Before the Wedding

1. Finalize the Budget

Create a clear budget with buffers for décor, food, photography, and travel.

2. Decide the Wedding Style

Traditional, royal, minimal, pastel, Bollywood-inspired, beach, hill, temple — lock this first because every decision depends on it.

3. Book Your Wedding Planner

If you’re hiring one, this is the time.
A full-service team like CYC Events streamlines venue scouting, vendor management, décor, and execution.

4. Choose and Book the Venue

Popular venues get booked almost a year in advance.

5. Prepare the Guest List

Create categories: close family, friends, colleagues, and extended family.

6. Lock in Key Vendors

• ‣ Photography & videography
  
• ‣ Catering
  
• ‣ Décor team
  
• ‣ Makeup artists
  
• ‣ Entertainment
  
• ‣ Priest or officiant

3–6 Months Before the Wedding

7. Start Shopping

Outfits for bride, groom, Haldi, sangeet, reception, and pre-wedding functions.

8. Finalize Décor Themes

Colors, staging, floral setup, entry ideas, and lighting.

9. Send Save-the-Dates

Especially important if you have NRI or outstation guests.

10. Confirm Catering Menu

North Indian, Bengali, South Indian, fusion, or multi-cuisine — fix the tasting date.

11. Book Additional Services

• ‣ Choreographer
  
• ‣ DJ & sound
  
• ‣ Invitation designer
  
• ‣ Guest hospitality team
  
• ‣ Transportation vendors
  

1–2 Months Before the Wedding

12. Finalize All Outfits & Trials

Fit everything well in advance.

13. Confirm Photo & Video Shot List

Pre-wedding shoot, rituals, entry shots, family moments, drone footage.

14. Print & Deliver Invitations

Digital and physical invitations work best.

15. Freeze the Event Timeline

If CYC Events is managing your wedding, this is where their coordination team maps out movement, logistics, vehicle flow, and vendor timings.

16. Reconfirm All Vendor Contracts

This includes payments, timings, deliverables, and emergency backups.

Final 2 Weeks

17. Create a Family WhatsApp Group

Share schedules so everyone stays on the same page.

18. Check Weather Forecasts

Outdoor weddings often require tents and backup lighting in case of rain.

19. Pack Wedding Essentials

Jewelry, emergency kit, footwear, medicines, accessories, and backup makeup.

Final 24–48 Hours

20. Walk Through the Venue

21. Hand Over Vendor Coordination to Your Planner

If you’re working with CYC Events, their team handles:

• ‣ Stage & production
  
• ‣ Guest management
  
• ‣ Food tracking
  
• ‣ Vendor coordination
  
• ‣ Timing flow
  
• ‣ On-ground execution
  

So you can focus on enjoying your wedding.

Bonus: Destination Wedding Checklist

For Goa, Jaipur, Udaipur, Kerala, Thailand, Dubai, Bali, or the Maldives:

• Scout venues online and shortlist based on guest capacity
  
• Block rooms early (6–12 months)
  
• Coordinate airport transfers
  
• Arrange travel bookings
  
• Get permits (beach, sound, fireworks, etc.)
  
• Lock décor + local vendors
  
• Assign a hospitality desk
  
• Create welcome kits for guests
  

If you’re planning abroad, a full-service team can be extremely helpful—especially with logistics, permissions, and vendor alignment.

FAQ 💭